A police raid on a birthday celebration at a hotel in Gujarat's Rajkot city led to legal action against 38 individuals under the Gujarat Prohibition Act. Those named in the case include 35 male guests attending the gathering and 3 hotel staff members. During the operation, enforcement teams seized 11 bottles of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), with some bottles found completely empty while others still contained leftover alcohol.
Surprise Search at Kalawad Road Hotel Following Tip-Off
The incident unfolded at a hospitality venue situated on Kalawad Road in Rajkot on a Saturday night. Acting on precise intelligence indicating that liquor was being served and consumed at the private event, the Local Crime Branch (LCB) organized a swift raid. Officers entered the venue, contained the premises, and administered immediate breath analyzer tests on those attending the celebration to establish primary evidence of alcohol intake.
Blood Samples of 98 Individuals Sent to Civil Hospital
To adhere to strict legal and forensic procedures, authorities proceeded with formal medical testing. Blood specimens from a total of 98 individuals, comprising both attendees and hotel staff, were secured and transferred to the Rajkot Civil Hospital for laboratory analysis. Following confirmation of alcohol consumption through the preliminary on-site breath tests, investigators filed a formal First Information Report against 38 people.
Chirag Patel Organized Event, Around 30 Women Cleared
Providing details on the enforcement action, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-2) Rakesh Desai stated that approximately 30 women were also present at the gathering. However, mandatory tests confirmed that none of them had consumed any alcohol. Inquiries revealed that the gathering had been organized by Chirag Patel to celebrate his birthday. Police retrieved 11 bottles of 750 ml capacity IMFL across various brands during the premises search, while confirming that no other narcotics or illicit substances were detected.
Scrutiny of Hotel Licensing, Past Records and CCTV Footage
DCP Rakesh Desai noted that the majority of attendees at the event were residents of Rajkot and the neighboring district of Morbi. Investigators are now broadening the probe to examine the culpability of the hotel management and key organizers behind the gathering. As part of this inquiry, officials are inspecting the hotel's operational licenses, reviewing historical records, and analyzing security CCTV footage from the venue. Gujarat has maintained strict prohibition laws since its formation, under which the production, storage, commercial sale, and consumption of alcohol remain completely illegal.
